The Original 1954 GODZILLA Destroys The Tivoli Midnights This Weekend

“I can’t believe that Godzilla was the only surviving member of its species… But if we continue conducting nuclear tests, it’s possible that another Godzilla might appear somewhere in the world again!”

The original Japanese GODZILLA from 1954 is a historical classic. While it may seem a little hokey when considering contemporary special effects capabilities, the film nonetheless seems to rectify the dated destruction scenes with realistic, dramatic, and depressing aftermath scenes where orphaned children are crying, families are destroyed, and lives are lost as a result of the ‘Big G’s’ destructive wake. When analyzing the monster’s destructive capabilities it’s important to remember that GODZILLA was produced at a time when the after-effects of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were still remnant in the Japanese psyche and Western society at large with the looming Cold War and the possibility of a nuclear holocaust. GODZILLA as a film seems to dissect these delicate matters by emphasizing how the widespread destruction in the film was brought about by nuclear testing that awakened a dormant monster. Indeed, Godzilla himself is a metaphor for the destructive capabilities of nuclear weapons.

If, like me, you grew up watching the Americanized version, GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS, with much cut out and  footage of Raymond Burr (as Steve Martin) talking on the phone and pointing at the sky with his knit brow added, you may be amazed how different the original Japanese take is. I saw the original version of GODZILLA for the first time at the Tivoli  ten years ago when it played there for a week and I plan on seeing it again this weekend.

The Tivoli will be playing the original Japanese version of GODZILLA on their big screen in all its digitally restored, sub-titled glory this weekend (May 30th and 31st) as part of their ‘Reel Late at the Tivoli’ Midnight series.

The Tivoli’s located at 6350 Delmar Blvd., University City, MO. Admission is a mere $8!

The Tivoli’s website can be found HERE

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/st.louis/tivolitheatre.htm

Here’s the Reel Late at the Tivoli Line-up for the next couple of months:

June 6-7               THE WARRIORS

June 13-14          CLASH OF THE TITANS (1981)

June 20-21          SPIRITED AWAY

June 27-28          THE GODFATHER

July 4-5                 JAWS

July 11-12            MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: THE MOVIE

July 18-19            2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

Stay tuned here at We Are Movie Geeks for an announcement of more midnight movies soon!